The blog that has been idle since Vignesh and Shwetha's wedding and
was not updated during Varalakshmi Vratam, Gokulashtami and Navaratri,
despite my wanting to do so (each of those times) is being updated to
celebrate a special occasion, the sīmantonnayana (सीमन्तोन्नयन) for Harini and Amrith. I haven't checked if there is a வலைகாப்பு as well. The lovely invitation is attached below.
Here are some details about the ceremony courtesy of wikipedia
Pumsavana Srimantham is a combination of the two rites of Pumsavana and Srimatham (also spelled Srimantha and Simantonnayana that is observed in modern times.
Both form an integral part of the fourfold prenatal life cycle rituals, also known as prenatal Saṃskāra in the Hindu religious tradition that is celebrated in India by the pregnant mother and father of the child, as per vedic scriptural sanctions, during the seventh or ninth month of pregnancy. However, Pumsavana (meaning: seeking birth of a male child) used to be held, in the past, individually (not in combination with Sirmantham), in the second or third or fourth month of pregnancy, the Pusuttal (meaning adorning with flowers) also spelled as Poochuttal, in the fifth or the seventh month and the Valaikappu (meaning: " bangles or bracelets") in the eight or the ninth month. However, in modern days all the four rites are subsumed into a one-day event, with different timings observed for each rite. Since the pumsavana and srimantham are combined into a single rite which is performed by both husband and wife together, facilitated by a brahmin priest with homa as per scriptural sanctions, this festival or the vedic rite is sometimes termed as Pumsavana Srimantham. However, each festival is region specific. All the four rituals are mandatory for the first child.
Srimantham is a family and a community festival with prayers seeking safe birth of the child. Literal meaning of Srimantham is "parting of the hair" to assure safe delivery of the child. The parting of the hair of the expectant mother is ceremoniously performed by her husband, initially with three strands of dharba grass and finally with a quill of porcupine, starting from the forehead to the back of the head. This is the third of 16 samskaras performed as per vedic rites by both husband and wife, which is facilitated by a presiding Brahmin priest with homa or sacrificial fire.
Our best wishes to the couple.
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| Tamil Invitation |
Pumsavana Srimantham is a combination of the two rites of Pumsavana and Srimatham (also spelled Srimantha and Simantonnayana that is observed in modern times.
Both form an integral part of the fourfold prenatal life cycle rituals, also known as prenatal Saṃskāra in the Hindu religious tradition that is celebrated in India by the pregnant mother and father of the child, as per vedic scriptural sanctions, during the seventh or ninth month of pregnancy. However, Pumsavana (meaning: seeking birth of a male child) used to be held, in the past, individually (not in combination with Sirmantham), in the second or third or fourth month of pregnancy, the Pusuttal (meaning adorning with flowers) also spelled as Poochuttal, in the fifth or the seventh month and the Valaikappu (meaning: " bangles or bracelets") in the eight or the ninth month. However, in modern days all the four rites are subsumed into a one-day event, with different timings observed for each rite. Since the pumsavana and srimantham are combined into a single rite which is performed by both husband and wife together, facilitated by a brahmin priest with homa as per scriptural sanctions, this festival or the vedic rite is sometimes termed as Pumsavana Srimantham. However, each festival is region specific. All the four rituals are mandatory for the first child.
Srimantham is a family and a community festival with prayers seeking safe birth of the child. Literal meaning of Srimantham is "parting of the hair" to assure safe delivery of the child. The parting of the hair of the expectant mother is ceremoniously performed by her husband, initially with three strands of dharba grass and finally with a quill of porcupine, starting from the forehead to the back of the head. This is the third of 16 samskaras performed as per vedic rites by both husband and wife, which is facilitated by a presiding Brahmin priest with homa or sacrificial fire.
Our best wishes to the couple.
श्रीमाधवी काननस्थे गर्भरक्षाम्बिके पाहि भक्तं स्तुवन्तम् |
वापीतटे वामभागे वामदेवस्य देवस्य देवी स्थिता त्वं ।
मान्या वरेण्या वदान्या पाहि गर्भस्थजन्तून् तथा भक्तलोकान् ||
